7 News Belize

House Burnt Down, And Sonya Harris Can’t Get Back To “Sam”
posted (September 9, 2014)
Last month we told you about Sonya Harris, a Gungulung area homeowner, whose house burnt down. It was dramatic because she accused her own nephew who was living there at the time. Harris claims that her nephew burnt down the house because she didn't allow him to sell weed there.

He was charged for arson, but now, she is trying to rebuild her home and return to the US with her husband but, like the old song says, "after the fire, the fire still burns." Thing is, she and her husband, both live in the states; he lost all his documents in the blaze, and while she still has hers; she won't travel without him. And apart from that, she is having difficulties rebuilding her house due to a property dispute. She told us about these troubles today:..

Sonya Harris, Gungulung Resident
"I went to do the papers in my name and it's in there. They took it at Belmopan, that's why they said we got to wait, now as I explain if the government or the president would get in touch with me, I mean I am homeless. If they want the place then give me somewhere to stay and I didn't go to them and beg them for anything, but if they want me to move then give me a house, give me back a land because I spend money to fix that. They explain that where the house was is a street, but what I am saying to them where the house was it always been there for the past 18 years. For the past 18 years nobody never came and offer a land to my son, a house for him to move. My son die and if you want it then come and offer me that offer - try to help me, try to help my husband. I have to stay here because he had not got his papers back. I am a Belizean, I have my Belizean passport already. I have my visa in my passport, but he is not from here. He is from Trinidad. We just come in from Belmopan. This morning we went to Belmopan, they have turning around and around, but by the grace of God - I believe in God and I believe that we are going to get out of here."

Both Sonya and her husband are educators in the US and have purchased their plane tickets and were scheduled to leave last week but because of issues with documentation, they are stranded here in Belize. They are asking for some kind of pass from the immigration department that will allow them to leave the country.

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